Improvement in couplings for uniting streams from fire-engines



D. .I.- TAPLEY.

Coupling for Uniting Streams from Fire-Engines.-

No. 134,110. Patented Dec.17, 1872.

AM PHOTU-LITHUbHAPH/C ClZNK/USBURNESPHUCEJ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL J. TAPLEY, OF DANVERS, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN COUPLINGS FOR UNITING STREAMS FROM FIRE-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 134,110, dated December 17, 1872.

To all whom it'may concern: I

Be it known that I, DANIEL J TAPLEY, of Danvers, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Uniting Streams from Fire-Engines and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawing which accompanies and forms part of this specification, is a description of my invention sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

The invention has particular reference to the employment of chemical or self -acting fire-extinguishers, especially of that class made of size to be mounted upon wheels to form village fire-engines. These extinguishers are always made to throw a fine stream, and sometimes, when a fire has attained considerable headway, it is desirable to employ a large stream at particularly inflamed spots, the large stream in such case being better than several fine ones. In many villages and manufacturing establishments a number of these engines or extinguishers are kept ready for use; and the object of my invention is to enable the streams of several engines to be formed into oneto increase the volume of water thrown as one stream. For this purpose I use a pcculiar coupling for connecting the nozzle-pipe to the various hose, said coupling having one outlet or outlet-tube to which the nozzle or leading hose-pipe is applied, and a series of inlet-tubes to which the hose-pipes of the respective engines may be connected, the streams of the several engines being merged into one stream in the coupler, or between the mouths of the inlet-tubes and the mouth of the outlettube. Theinvention consists in this improved method of using the streams of several fireengines (when a large stream is needed) by merging them into one large stream.

In practicing-the invention, I prefer to use a coupling having a chamber from one end of which several tubes extend, and at the opposite end of which is an outlet-nipple, to which the nozzle-pipe is attached, and the drawing shows such a coupler.

a denotes a hollow box having screwed in-- to one end of it the tubes b c d, each of which tubes is of a size to connect with the enginehose by a suitable screw coupling, 6. The tubes lead into a common chamber in the hollow box a, and from the opposite end of this chamber leads the short outlet tube, nipple, or neck f, which is, preferably, screw-threaded for attachment thereto of the nozzle pipe. Each tube 1) c 01 may be provided with a stopcock, so that one, two, or all of the tubes may be connected with the engines, and when any emergency arises for the use of the one large powerful stream the respective engine-hose are connected to the tubes 12 c d and the nozzle-pipe to the nipple f, 'when, by opening the cooks, the two or three streams may be united to form one powerful stream. The coupler may, in like manner, be used to couple the several small hose to one large hose.

By this invention each engine becomes one of a system of generators united in their action to form one single stream from the respective streams of the several generators.

I claim- The combination, with two or more inletpipes, of a single discharge mouth or pipe adapted for connection with a single nozzle pipe or hose, substantially as shown and described.

DANIEL J. TAPLEY.

Witnesses FRANCIS GOULD, M. W. FROTHINGHAM. 

